No. 81 - TAKING NOTE: Creating Ourselves Through Journaling
Journal writing for sceptics: a workshop download
IT’S HERE!
I present to you:
TAKING NOTE: Creating Ourselves Through Journaling
A 35-minute video download for people who want tools for feeling more grounded and less overwhelmed by their own unruly thoughts.
The workshop covers aspects of journal writing such as materials, ways to journal, and fears about “doing it right”. It also presents seven different writing exercises that you can stop and engage with during the workshop, or save for later.
This workshop is for people who:
🪞Have thought about keeping a journal, but are scared or hesitant
🪞Need help getting back into journaling
🪞Want to deepen the journaling practice they already have
🪞Want tools for gaining clarity on pesky or painful issues
🪞Want ways to support themselves while going through difficult times
🪞Want to get back in touch with themselves, not their screens
I am not a therapist, no. And as I mention in the workshop, there are clearly times when a person needs to seek outside help, such as counselling. Having said that, I’ve written my way through some harrowing periods in my life. I use my journal to process upset, find perspective, and clear my mind so that it can be used for other things. Through writing in my journal, I’ve come to know myself better and to trust my intuition and observations.
If you’re intrigued by the thought of digging deeper and finding clarity on some of your confusing life shit, this workshop is for you.
The cost is $42.00 CAD (approximately $30.00 USD)
SOME BACKGROUND:
In June 2023 I wrote a post called Hardcore Journaling.
HARDCORE JOURNALING was meant to be the name of the workshop I was developing—it felt like the only name that properly described the material when I compared it to other journaling workshops I’d seen. This was not going to be about decoration and it wasn’t necessarily going to be easy, either.
But I chickened out, because I was afraid I’d scare some people away. I hosted a live Zoom workshop in May also called TAKING NOTE: Creating Ourselves Through Journaling, which is a fitting name in its own right, if less, uh, hardcore. I gave it this name because I feel that the work I’ve done in my journal over the years has helped create the person I’ve become. I’m not sure who I would have been without it.
Is it true that the name Hardcore Journaling would have scared people away? The sad truth is that the phrase “journaling workshop” is going to cause eye-glazing of the highest order in a large section of the population. My instinct was that throwing “hardcore” in there could be a healthy antidote to that. I guess I’ll never know.
TAKING NOTE: Creating Ourselves Through Journaling is fundamentally a writing workshop—that’s what I think. But it’s not going to give you any pointers on writing fiction or creative non-fiction or even an op-ed, so I can’t call it that. But to call it a “journaling workshop” doesn’t do it justice, either. I may have to come up with a new description.
Any ideas?
How about “a writing workshop in which you’re given tools for engaging with your journal by participating in a series of exercises that help you to gain self-understanding and clarity about what’s going on in your life”.
Haha—too short?
About the word journaling: If you have a problem with the word journaling because you’ve seen too many images of thoughtful young women with long hair and wire-rimmed glasses pasting ephemera in 5 x 7” robin’s egg blue notebooks, then maybe you could call it keeping a notebook. A place where you take note of what’s going on in your life, both externally and internally. A place where you take note of your thoughts, feelings, and observations. Not to mention the myriad other things that you can do in your journal. I mean notebook.
I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear. — Joan Didion
I wanted to make this workshop because writing in my journal has helped me through so many things, and I believe it can help others in the same way. I poured my heart and soul into this jam-packed 35-minute workshop download. It feels bursting at the seams with potential, possible off-shoots, elaborations and expansions. I have a feeling those will come.
NOTE: I’ve started a resource page on my website for journaling and note-taking, which I suspect will eventually include all sorts of things. Find it here.
Following are some kind words about the Taking Note Zoom workshop I held in May, which covered the same material:
🪞I enjoy your teaching approach/style/attitude/sense of humour. A big thank you for sharing yourself and your approach and ideas, as it really did make me feel much more motivated to journal again! —Lesley Long
🪞TAKING NOTE energized my journaling practice—and loosened me up! I had been journaling somewhat regularly, but the workshop suggested new formats and directions for letting it rip on the page. —Mason Currey, Subtle Maneuvers
🪞B.A. Lampman’s workshop, Taking Note, was a great way to get unstuck. Instead of worrying about all the ways I could mess up in my journal I was "forced" to put pencil to paper and go. I've already started to incorporate some of the prompts and ideas in my new habit of journaling. —Kris Kaila
🪞This workshop exceeded my expectations and showed me how valuable an outlet journaling is for generating new ideas, working out problems, and managing my mental health. I also learned there is no wrong way to keep a journal and lots of ideas for how to go about getting started, creating the habit and keeping it going. Highly recommend. —Alesha Davies-Fowlie
🪞I’ve been writing in journals for many years, but it really dwindled in the last 4 years and I’m inspired to get back to it. And although I know how to write in a journal, I love that I got new ideas from you. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of repetition, and the exercises really helped me with some fresh approaches. —Astrid Starke
🪞Please share this post with people you think might be interested!
🪞If you’re a Substack writer, please restack!
🪞Maybe buy it for a friend!
THANK YOU
THE AUNTY COLLECTIVE
I’m “in talks” with Sarah Rhude about presenting Taking Note: Creating Ourselves Through Journaling live at the amazing Aunty Collective in Victoria, BC, with the possibility of having people participating through Zoom at the same time.
We discussed expanding the workshop into two two-hour sessions, which would give ample breathing room and time for de-briefing after each exercise. Sarah immediately had wonderful ideas and input about what that could look like.
We also talked about how the words journaling workshop can cause the eyes to glaze over in some, possibly causing them to immediately discount it. What to call it then? DISCUSS. I’d love to get your input.
Anyhoo, if you’re local to Victoria, please pipe up if you’d be interested in participating in a live, two-part workshop at the Aunty Collective. Thanks!
SOME STUFF
🪞Please read an interview with Sarah Leavitt about her new graphic memoir Something, Not Nothing. I have the book on order and I cannot wait to cry my eyes out.
🪞For unknown reasons, I’ve recently been obsessed with the video for Give Me Back My Man by The B52s from (gulp) forty-four years ago. Cindy Wilson’s voice. The way she looks at Fred Schneider just before starting. Her child-like pouty face at times. The way she walks back (barefoot) and looks at her brother during the bridge. I dunno. It’s a moment.
🪞I’ve posted about Nick Cave’s newsletter The Red Hand Files more than once, but I must do it again and I’ll tell you why. He recently turned the tables and asked of his readers ‘Where or how do you find your joy?’ and has created a page for the hundreds or responses he got. Here it is: JOY.
🪞Thank you very much for being here.
🪞If you find value in my posts, please consider supporting me and my work by becoming a paid or free subscriber:
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🪞Buy TAKING NOTE: Creating Ourselves Through Journaling—$42 CAD. More info here.
🪞Buy my Collage Class—$40 CAD for a 1-hour download. More info here.
🪞Visit balampman.com
🪞There's always Instagram
BA, as a journaling expert do you think there’s such a thing as it getting out of hand? I spent two hours on an entry the other day that no one will ever read not even me!